16 Dr. Smith on the Irish Coins of Edward the Fourth. 



in Sir William's extract as "having an impression oi a face and crown on one 

 side," and on the other side, the device and inscription as given by Simon.* 



I am also indebted to Sir William Betham for permission to publish a clause 

 which he has transcribed, relating to the penny, half penny, and farthing, of this 

 coinage. It states, that " in consequence of the smallness of the penny, it shall 

 be lawful to insert the weight of ten pennies of alloy above the silver, at the 

 king's cost, so that the eighty pennies shall weigh an ounce and a half, and 

 contain the impression of the groat ; and that the half pennies or farthings may 

 be alloyed at the discretion of the Lord Lieutenant or Lord Deputy." 



By this clause, it appears that the penny should weigh nearly eight grains 

 and a half. The Act, as published by Simon, says, " Also that a piece be made, 

 called a denier, (penny,) containing the half of the piece of two deniers, eighty 

 of which shall go to the ounce, besides the alloy."f 



Before I enter on the description of the coins, it is necessary to say a few 

 words respecting the standard weight, as the writers on Irish coins have occa- 

 sionally confounded the troy pound with that of the tower. 



It should be recollected that the coinage of England and Ireland was regu- 

 lated by the standard of the tower pound, which continued in use until the 

 eighteenth year of the reign of Henry the Eighth, at which time it was abolished 

 by proclamation, and the troy pound established in its stead.J 



The tower pound differed from the troy pound in weight only, being lighter 

 by three quarters of an ounce ; the denominations of their parts were the 

 same. The troy ounce consisted of 480 grains ; the tower, of only 450. It 

 appears from the Act, that the coins of 1467 were ordered to be made " according 

 to the rightful standard of the tower of London ;" and consequently, the double, 

 ten of which went to the ounce, should weigh forty- five grains. 



A double groat was discovered in June, 1839, at Trim. Obverse, the 

 king's head crowned, within a double tressure of nine arches ; a trefoil, with 



* This confirmation of my conjecture induced me to inquire into some other obscure points 

 respecting Edward's coins, and ultimately led to the investigation, the fruits of which I now 

 present. 



•)■ Simon, Appendix, No. IX. 



f Ruding's Annals of the Coinage, vol. i. p. 18, 2nd edit. 8vo. 



